Travel Smart and Safe This Spring Break

Smartphone apps to help enjoy the week off.

It’s time to beat the winter chill and head to warmer climates for Spring Break, but don’t let fun-in-the-sun deter you from exercising good caution in unfamiliar territory. Travel smart during your vacation so you can return to your daily life safe and rejuvenated.

Lost in a foreign country? Use Google Translate to help find your way or ask for directions – it translates from English to another language. Just speak into your device or input the text manually.

If you’re traveling by car, the GasBuddy app provides a map view of nearby gas stations. Users can also sort and search for fuel based on price.

For last minute travel, there are several apps that will allow you to book a hotel room right from your smartphone. No need to wander the road looking for a vacancy. Also try Airbnb or Hotels.com’s mobile apps to find somewhere to stay in advance or on the fly.

For additional peace of mind, download EmergenSee. With a tap of your smartphone screen, the app will send a distress signal that alerts and connects instantly to friends, family or authorities with the push of a button. That way, you can keep calm, knowing help is on the way.

And, when packing, don’t forget to bring a Jetpack, which provides a fast Internet connection for up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices. As long as devices are charged, users can maintain Internet access and keep up with what’s going on around them.